20080331 News Clips

News Clips 03-31-2008

STATE NEWS

Session set for hectic ending

O'Malley on way to 2 key victories

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.session31mar31,0,5202927.story

One week ago it appeared that Gov. Martin O'Malley's second legislative session would conclude with few victories and plenty of unresolved problems. But in 24 hours, the logjam of bad news broke. In that time, O'Malley struck a rate- relief settlement with BGE's parent company, Constellation Energy Group, that includes a one-time $170 rebate to each customer. And he floated a proposal to repeal the unpopular computer services tax that is likely to dominate debate in the final week before the General Assembly adjourns for the year. But it remains to be seen how the actions will play out with voters. Some Republicans say that the BGE settlement falls short of what O'Malley could have secured and that his proposed tax on millionaires is political folly. "The settlement is cents on the dollar in terms of what ratepayers had on the table," said Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican. "And one of the last acts that the governor is going to support this year is an increase in income taxes. I don't see how you gain ground with that."

"Here we are a week to go, and it's like Groundhog Day," said Del. Christopher B. Shank, a Western Maryland Republican and the House minority whip. "It just reflects how opportunistic this governor is. He's just going from issue to issue to try to figure out how he can rescue his political career." But O'Malley's success or failure this year will probably be judged on whether he can line up votes for the BGE settlement and the computer services tax repeal.

Backroom deals are back in play in Annapolis

http://www.examiner.com/a-1311097~Backroom_deals_are_back_in_play_in_Annapolis.html

We were back in the backroom again last week, standing around watching senators and delegates hash out their differences on the state budget. Now, after some fierce re-education by IT professionals contemplating moves out of state to avoid the tax, they fully recognize their mistake. The negotiators knew they could be back at the table later this week wrangling over the additional budget transfers and reductions in spending growth they would need to repeal the $200 million tax.

Anne Arundel, attorney general wrangle over detention center

http://www.examiner.com/a-1311322~Anne_Arundel__attorney_general_wrangle_over_detention_center.html

Anne Arundel’s attempt to stop the expansion of a juvenile detention center in Maryland City is being squashed by the attorney’s general office. County Executive John R. Leopold said last week that he has asked Attorney General Doug Gansler to enforce a state law he claims the District of Columbia violated when it began expanding the Oak Hill Youth Center, which houses the District’s juvenile criminals. “The law prohibits any state or other jurisdictions to build a detention center without prior written approval from the Secretary of Juvenile Services ... which they never received,” Leopold said. But that law doesn’t include juvenile centers, said Raquel Guillory, Gansler’s spokeswoman Anne Arundel opposes the facility’s existence, especially since the District began expanding the center this past year unbeknownst to county officials or the community — the District never held public meetings on the project, they said. Officials from D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty’s office did not return calls for comment.

Speed-camera contractor paid per citation

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/METRO/116889982/1004

A state lawmaker says Montgomery County is "exploiting a loophole" in state law designed to keep speed-camera operators from profiting off the number of speeding tickets issued. "Some of our residents are starting to get the sense [speed cameras] are a cash cow, and we need to do everything in reason to assure them that is not the case," said Delegate Saqib Ali, Montgomery Democrat. According to Transportation Article 21-809(j) of the Maryland Code, "If a contractor operates a speed monitoring system on behalf of Montgomery County, the contractor's fee may not be contingent on the number of citations issued or paid." County officials declined a request from The Washington Times to obtain a copy of the contract with ACS. Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, has proposed expanding speed cameras to every other jurisdiction in the state, and lawmakers appear ready to approve his measure this year. The statewide measure has passed initial votes and is awaiting final approval in the Senate and House. Mr. O'Malley's proposal carries the same language as the Montgomery County law, including the clause prohibiting per-ticket payments to contractors.

From the altar, a vow of protest

Some clergy say until Maryland allows same-sex marriage, they'll conduct religious rite but others must sign legal papers

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.marriage31mar31,0,2635397.story

Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton was always vexed by the notion that despite the country's traditional separation of church and state, Maryland gave her - a religious leader - the power to change people's legal status by signing their marriage licenses. At the same time, the Reconstructionist rabbi from Baltimore was troubled by the state's laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. Bolton has joined a small but growing band of clergy who have decided that they won't sign any marriage licenses as agents of the state until it allows gays and lesbians to marry. Maryland's highest court last year upheld a law that defines marriage as between a woman and a man, and efforts have not advanced in the General Assembly to create a legal relationship for gay and lesbian couples that confers many of the same rights granted to married couples.

Leopold admits reversing his stand on impact fees

As state delegate in 2001, he decried them; today he seeks larges increases to balance county budget

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.taxes30mar30,0,4153255.story

Years before he became Anne Arundel County's chief executive, John R. Leopold sounded a lot like the critics of his current plan to impose perhaps the highest development impact fees in Maryland. In 2001, Leopold attacked county leaders' idea of raising those fees "during our current recessionary slump." He argued that it could hurt commercial growth, dampen the prospect of affordably priced housing and unfairly burden selective homeowners. Today, as Leopold tries to balance the county budget amid millions lost in state aid and real estate tax revenue, the second-year county executive acknowledged that he has flipped his position. To steer the county through a period of fiscal uncertainty and hold to his pledge of not raising property or income taxes, he is supporting big increases in impact fees. Leopold has, however, sought to vary the fee for homes based on the number of bedrooms to eliminate the regressive impact on lower-income households. "There's an old saying in politics: You stand where you sit. Now I sit in the county executive's chair. I have a responsibility to fund these programs." In the context of his shifting views on the county transfer tax, critics wonder whether Leopold is guided by self-interest. "Historically, he has been consistent on where he has been on impact fees," Councilman C. Edward Middlebrooks, a Severn Republican, said of Leopold. "He fought against them, and he thought the transfer tax was the way to go. Then, when he had the opportunity to actually do something, he abandons everything he has said over the years for raising impact fees. How can that be?" Leopold reiterated that the council's interest in the transfer tax was an attempt to shield developers from higher impact fees. Those fees are intended to offset the burden on roads and schools. With thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of development coming to Anne Arundel County because of a major expansion at Fort Meade, Leopold said the county is not getting enough financial aid from state and federal leaders to pay for several billion dollars in transportation improvements.

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

Dysfunction in Annapolis

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080331/EDITORIAL/351797425/1013/editorial

One week from tonight in Annapolis, the General Assembly ends its regular 2008 session, during which Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature have done everything possible to hit law-abiding Marylanders with with more taxes and regulations, while leaving the state a more welcoming place for illegal aliens and criminal felons. Then, there are serious issues like fixing the mess that the governor and the General Assembly made at last fall's special session. Mr. O'Malley and Senate President Mike Miller both say they want to get rid of the 6 percent tax on computer services that has prompted angry warnings from businesses about moving to Virginia. The problem is that the politicians insist on making up any lost revenue by imposing higher taxes on the most wealthy (i.e., the most productive) Marylanders — another way of chasing jobs across the Potomac. While productive Americans are being pushed out of state, Maryland continues to be a welcoming place for lawbreakers. Given the political leanings of the politicians appointing them, we fully expect the panels to be packed with people who will tell us that capital punishment is always wrong and that the recent influx of illegals is an economic boon to the state.

Cell phone distraction

Our view: Bad behavior is rewarded

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.phones30mar30,0,4513156.story

Cell phone-addicted motorists in Maryland got a reprieve. They'll be able to continue driving and gabbing, while more responsible drivers on the road remain on hyper-alert, ready to dodge and swerve to avoid them when they misdial or, worse, reach for a dropped cell phone. The House Environmental Matters Committee last week defeated a bill that would have outlawed the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. Committee members who prefer to drive and talk should have recused themselves from the vote. The legislation might have had a chance because for the first time in years, it won approval in the Senate. At the very least, committee members should have restricted the use of text-messaging while driving. Maryland is behind the times on this one: Lawmakers who opposed the bill say they don't want to legislate responsible behavior. By that standard, drinking while driving would be legal with the understanding that responsible Marylanders would voluntarily abstain.

Power plans

Our view: Settlement offers the chance to move forward

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.bge30mar30,0,6005434.story

It would be foolish to give an instant thumbs up or down on the proposed settlement announced last week between the state and Constellation Energy Group over the 1999 deregulation deal. Cursory analysis is what got ratepayers in trouble nine years ago. The proposal has far-reaching ramifications, and lawmakers will need to closely scrutinize all of it in the days ahead. The biggest payback, however, would be to remove any further liability for the future decommissioning costs of the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant from ratepayers once and for all. That's a potential $1.5 billion savings and possibly even more. Indeed, if there is a lesson to take away from this episode, it's the need for a more vigilant and assertive PSC. Legislators can debate the settlement's sufficiency, but there's no question that PSC Chairman Steven B. Larsen has given the agency new teeth. That benefits not only ratepayers but probably Constellation as well - at least if it means that the 1999 settlement can be put in the past. Maryland must now focus on future needs, addressing the rising cost of energy and ensuring an adequate supply. A proposed expansion at Calvert Cliffs is going to cost billions of dollars, but the benefits for the state and the company could prove enormous.

Our Say: Pact with utility has some pluses, avoids legal mess

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/03_30-53/OPN

There's probably only way to get a completely fair deal for Maryland with the power company that now controls so much of its future: Invent a time machine and go back to 1999 to undo that year's disastrous utility deregulation deal. Given that he can't do that, Gov. Martin O'Malley seems to have gotten a good deal for Marylanders in the legal settlement with Constellation Energy Group announced last week. Certainly, it's a better deal than could have been reached if Mr. O'Malley had not taken a hard-nosed attitude toward a bullying power company. And it's better than a prolonged legal battle. He also needs to focus on heading off anticipated power shortages, and getting this state's power grid ready for the 21st century. While last week's deal may be debated for a long time, we hope it at least allows Maryland to start moving out of the wreckage of 1999 and planning for the future. If it does that much, it will have been worthwhile.

NATIONAL NEWS

Feds give $5.7M to region's BRAC infrastructure

http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/03/31/daily2.html?surround=lfn

The federal government has allotted $5.7 million to help the communities around Fort George G. Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground prepare for an influx of more than 20,000 jobs, U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger touted at a press conference Monday. The military bases in Anne Arundel and Harford counties are expected to gain the jobs between 2009 and 2011 under the government's Base Realignment and Closure Act, known as BRAC. The money is expected to help pay for needs including roads, mass transit, work force training and health care, according to Ruppersberger's office.

Steele to HUD?

http://www.politickermd.com/wallyedgemd/1584/steele-hud

With today's resignation of Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, is former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele a prime candidate to fill the position? He's got a fair relationship with President George W. Bush, was publicly vetted in a Senate race, and would likely find quick confirmation the Senate